Apple’s first foldable opens for pre-order on October 16, and Google’s answer to it is not panic. It is closer to a shrug with a footnote attached.
Sameer Samat, president of Android Ecosystem at Google, sat down with Tom’s Guide to talk about the new Googlebook and ended up fielding questions about the iPhone Duo instead. His framing was less about Apple’s hardware than about who got to the form factor first. Samat called it “wonderful to see more people realizing after so long that the foldable space is the place to be,” and added the line that will follow him around for a while: “Android is usually where you see the future first.”
That is a defensible position. Android makers have been shipping book-style folding phones since the first Galaxy Z Fold, including the wide passport-style shape the iPhone Duo now uses. Samat pointed out that Apple’s foldable launch is, in his words, a wee bit behind the Android camp, and Samsung’s US mobile account was busy needling Apple over exactly that during the September event. Samat himself has been using the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
He also argued that Apple’s arrival helps rather than hurts Android, on the theory that a bigger category lifts everyone in it. “It’s growing. It was growing even before these last couple weeks, and I’m glad to see more people joining what is now the obvious party,” he said.
The more interesting admission was about apps. Large folding inner displays only pay off when software adapts to them, and Samat conceded there is still work to be done. He said the tools have been made simpler for developers, that thousands upon thousands of apps have made the transition, and that others are either working on it or in conversation with Google. His summary: “the reality is this form factor is a hit.”
Apple, meanwhile, is pushing hard on exactly that weak spot. It singled out Slack at its event as one of the apps optimized for the Duo’s larger screen — an app that, as Tom’s Guide notes, still looks like a stretched-out phone app on Android foldables. Android has its own wins here, TikTok among them: on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 you get immersive viewing on the outer display, and videos on the left with comments on the right when opened up.
The numbers explain why Google is talking at all. Tom’s Guide cites Counterpoint Research forecasting that Apple will take about 25% of the foldable market in year one, growing to 40% by the end of 2027.
What Apple is bringing to that fight:
- iPhone Duo — 7.6-inch inner display, 5.4-inch outer display, A20 Pro chip
- Pre-orders from Friday, October 16 at 5 a.m. PT
- On sale Friday, October 23 in 70+ countries, with 28 more following on October 30
- From $1,999 for 256GB
Being first is a real advantage. Being Apple is also a real advantage. The next two quarters decide which one matters more.
Earlier on GismoLand: Apple iPhone Duo. The foldable that walks straight into Samsung’s yard.
